This Girl I Met

8

Today is our first game. 

It's a quiet Saturday morning, except for the laughs that come from downstairs. When I get there, already dressed up in my leggings and t-shirt, I spot Ashlyn, sitting on the couch, while some other voices come from the kitchen. I figure that, since they had a day off, they'd study together. That's what they usually do : they form some group of five or six people, they come here and work for hours.

Ash and I make our usual high-five - then one that ends up in us imitating a shark - and I go to the kitchen. Julie and Kelley are already here, while Allie is just trying to make up something good to eat. I smirk : cooking has never been her strength. I can't even count the many times she burnt something. She kisses my forehead, while I am just grabbing a banana and heads back on the couch. 

They seem pretty energetic this morning. Tomorrow, they have an important game against some Texan team. 

"What time are you guys playing ?" Julie asks, smiling at me. 

I just laugh. "Either of you is coming" I immediately say, knowing where this conversation is heading. 

"Why ?" Kelley complains, giving me her usual childish eyes. 

"Because" I let out bitterly. "It's our first game back, I don't want any more pressure"

Ash smirks. "You'll be great." she assures me. 

"If any of you want to pass the year, then you should stay here and work your asses off this afternoon" I say. 

That makes Kelley and Ash rolling their eyes, while Julie just nods. She and Becky has always been the most hard-working in terms of school. The blonde just gives me a high five, as the others are just glaring at us. 

When the door rings, Kelley rushes to open the door. There is a little scream, and then she's back, holding someone in her arms while trying to be dominant. I immediately recognize Cari's famous messy bun, as she is trying to fight back. Cari has been my best friend, my partner in crime for years now. Right behind her is Moe, and then Abby Dahlkemper. They both greet me, before greeting the others. Abby seems quite uncomfortable, so I guess Moe was the one dragging her here. I don't know her that well, but like her. Except that one of my dear friends - Sam - seems into her, and I don't know if she's trustworthy. 

They sit down on the available couch, while Cari is just smirking for no reason - as she always is. The game is in four hours, so we still got time. 

"So, ready to kick off this new season ?" Moe asks, pretty excited. 

I roll my eyes. "Yup, if nobody gets hurt, because we only have one sub available on the bench" I say, trying not to sound too defeatist. 

"Please, try and think positive Linds" Abby says, smiling. 

I can't hold that one back : "Did you learn that wonderful philosophy from our good friend Sam ?" 

My friends immediately glare at me. Cari even gives me a kick in the torso, as I see the blonde defender looking down. When I say I'm pretty protective of my friends and of my team (because a couple on it would totally just make everything we worked our asses off to create be messed up), it's that I actually am protective. Overprotective, if you will. 

But Dahlkemper doesn't keep her mouth shut. 

"Just to be clear, there's nothing happening between Samantha and I" she says in a clear voice. That makes me smirk, and she just glares at me with angry eyes. "So you can just stop acting like a bitch all the time".

"That's too much to ask from her" Cari reminds her, trying to make the atmosphere a little bit better. 

I smirk at Dahlkemper, before dropping it off. 

It's time to go. 

**

In the locker room, I reluctantly sit next to Sonnett. She's number 8, I'm number 7, so the coach just put us next to each other. I roll my eyes and start dressing up. 

That's when I see it. 

"Did your mom do that ?" I whisper so she's the only one able to hear me. 

Around us, our teammates are chanting, dancing and singing their guts out, while I see the blonde's scared wide eyes now locked on me. She immediately puts her shorts on, so that nobody else will see the mark she's got on the leg. I can bet she's been hit with something several times. I don't know why, but I am very mad right now. Why the fuck do I want to kick some girl's mother's ass when I don't even care about the girl ?

Sonnett seems highly freaked out. 

"Stop spying on me" she hisses. 

I obviously don't like the tone she's using. So I just grab her forearm and drag her to a room next door. She tries to escape it, but I close the door and stand on the way. I just realize now that the room is actually very small, so we stand very close to each other. I can feel the blush coming, and try to block it. While I am praying for my face not to turn red, she just looks at me in total disbelief. 

I just created a monster. Angry Sonnett. 

"What the hell !" she yells, really pissed off. 

"I'm just checking on my teammate" I innocently say on a very calm tone. 

She just smirks. 

"Go and mind your own fucking business, Horan. I said you couldn't help me, so being all over my ass all the time is just annoying !" she responds. 

"Believe it or not, I can help you. It's just you refusing my help right now, just because that's me !" 

She pushes me to she side, and looks straight in my eyes.

"You're not the center of the world, Lindsey. At least not of mine. So stop it ! And if you talk to anyone about this, I swear I will..."

"You will what ? You can't even defend yourself from your mother !" I yell back. 

I just realize my words are not okay right now. When I see her face getting frozen, and her eyes becoming empty for a bit, I just look down. Why am I so stupid whenever I'm around her ? First, I said something stupid about her dead dad, and then this... Why can't I just be me when she's around ? 

She doesn't say another word and gets out of the room, as I am biting my lips. Okay, maybe it wasn't the best approach ever. 

But we still have a game to play. I sigh and go out of the room as well.